Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 10.630-10.830 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 10.620. The company issued revenue guidance of $11.8 billion-$11.9 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $11.8 billion.

Quest Diagnostics Trading Up 4.5%

NYSE DGX opened at $205.12 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $22.70 billion, a PE ratio of 23.44, a PEG ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. Quest Diagnostics has a 12 month low of $164.65 and a 12 month high of $213.50. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $200.53 and a 200-day moving average of $189.02.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 21st. The medical research company reported $2.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.37 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $2.90 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.83 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.57% and a net margin of 8.99%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.94 EPS. Quest Diagnostics has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.630-10.830 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Quest Diagnostics will post 10.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 20th. Stockholders of record on Monday, April 6th were issued a $0.86 dividend. This represents a $3.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, April 6th. This is a boost from Quest Diagnostics’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.80. Quest Diagnostics’s payout ratio is currently 39.31%.

Quest Diagnostics announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, February 10th that authorizes the company to repurchase $1.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical research company to reacquire up to 4.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on DGX shares. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $225.00 price objective on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Quest Diagnostics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Quest Diagnostics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, March 15th. Evercore set a $225.00 price objective on Quest Diagnostics in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on Quest Diagnostics from $210.00 to $225.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Quest Diagnostics has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $212.23.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Quest Diagnostics news, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 5,558 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $206.21, for a total transaction of $1,146,115.18. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 67,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $13,841,227.62. This trade represents a 7.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Karthik Kuppusamy sold 2,628 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $204.86, for a total value of $538,372.08. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 13,441 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,753,523.26. This represents a 16.35% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 24,083 shares of company stock worth $4,945,262. Company insiders own 8.16% of the company’s stock.

More Quest Diagnostics News

Here are the key news stories impacting Quest Diagnostics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat and guidance raised — Quest reported Q1 revenue of $2.90B (+9.2% y/y) and adjusted EPS of $2.50, topping estimates; management raised full‑year 2026 adjusted EPS to $10.63–$10.83 and raised revenue guidance. Quest Diagnostics Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results; Raises Revenue and EPS Guidance for Full Year 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue and volume drivers — Management cited resilient demand for routine diagnostic testing and 9.0% organic revenue growth driven by consumer testing and advanced diagnostics, supporting the stronger outlook. DGX Q1 deep dive: Organic growth, consumer testing momentum, and advanced diagnostics drive outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Partnerships and technology lift momentum — New partnerships and AI/analytics initiatives were highlighted as contributors to growth and margin leverage, which management and coverage pieces cited as supporting the raised outlook. Quest Diagnostics Gains Steam With Partnerships, Lifts Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary and targets — Analysts weighed in after the print; several firms maintain constructive price targets (median recent target ~$217.50) but coverage is mixed across firms. Analysts Offer Insights on Healthcare Companies: Quest Diagnostics (DGX)…
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings detail and management color available — Investors can review the earnings call transcript and slide deck for execution and margin guidance specifics. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (DGX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Insider and institutional selling noted — Reports show meaningful insider sales and some large institutional reductions in recent quarters, which could limit upside if sustained. Quest Diagnostics rises after Q1 earnings beat and higher 2026 outlook

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Quest Diagnostics

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of DGX. Brighton Jones LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics during the fourth quarter worth $323,000. Cresset Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 4.6% during the second quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 4,003 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $719,000 after buying an additional 176 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics during the second quarter worth $287,000. Bank of Nova Scotia lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 7.2% during the second quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 14,339 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $2,576,000 after buying an additional 962 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 17.1% during the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 18,599 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $3,341,000 after buying an additional 2,718 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.06% of the company’s stock.

Quest Diagnostics Company Profile

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) is a leading provider of diagnostic information services that supports clinical decision-making for patients, physicians and healthcare organizations. The company operates a network of clinical laboratories and patient service centers that perform a broad range of laboratory tests and diagnostic assays used in routine care, disease diagnosis, monitoring and screening.

Its services span core clinical laboratory testing, anatomic pathology, molecular and genomic diagnostics, infectious disease testing and toxicology.